Lighting device for vehicles



Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,523

J. E. PEARSON LIGHTING DEVICE on VEHICLES Filed Dec. 20. 1926 INVENTOR J O EPH E. %Areso1\1 1,660,523 PATENT OFFICE.

- JOSEPH E. PEARSON, F BICHMOKD, CALIFORNIA.

LIGHTING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed December 20, 1926. Serial No. 156,005.

This invention relates particularly to a lighting fixture to be mounted on the side of a vehicle to illuminate the. side of said vehicle and to provide a beam of light into which a vehicle Operator may extend an arm to indicate a course of movement to be pursued by said vehicle.

An object of the invention is. to rovide a lighting fixture for vehicles adapted to func- 1 tion as passing light with reference to approaching vehioles, asa spotlight to illuminate the road surface adjacent the vehicle, to thereby assist the vehicle operator when stepping onto said road surface, and to furnish a zone of light to assist the vehicle operator in iving directions of travel of the said vehic e. v g A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting fixture for vehicles in which the zone of light to be generated by the fixture may be controlled and regulated. A. further object of the invention is to provide alighting fixture for vehicles that will be superior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness of operation, and facility and convenience in use and general efiiciency. I

In this specification and the. annexed drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such. form, because it may be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims follow- 5 ing the description it is desired tocover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied. In the accompanying one sheet of drawmgs o 1 representsa perspective view of a vehlcle having a lighting fixture mounted thereon constructed in accordance with my inventlon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front end elevation of my lighting fixture applied in operative position to the side of the vehicle- Fig. 3 is a front side elevation of my signalling. device.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of Fig. 3.

, Fig. 5 is a section taken through Fig. 4

on the line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a modified form (if the invention u to be used in attaching it to the frame of open vehicles. 7

The lighting fixture which I have developed isprimarily adapted to assist vehicle operators in night driving to sufficiently illuminate one side of the driven vehicle to serve as a warning to approaching vehicles and also to provide a'zone of light into which the vehicle operator may extend an arm when indicating a change of course in the direction of movement of the driven vehicle.

In detail, the construction illustrated in the drawings comprises a' bracket 1, having a flanged edge 2 that" is adapted to be screwed onto the outside of a vehicle. The

bracket is preferably arranged on the side of the vehicle, near the topthereof, and above the window or door opposite the vehicle drivers compartment. The bracket 1 is provided with a mediate portion 3 that is bent back upon itself and the end 4 of the bent portion extended in and under the bottom of the bracket 1. The opposite ends 5 and 6 of the bracket are curved on an acute angle to provide a surface that will not catch or hold leaves or branches therein or to revent the engagement of the bracket wit the objects whlch might cause the fixture tobe forcibly dlsengaged from the vehicle body. The inturned end 4 of the mediate portion 3 of the bracket is clamped to the bracket by means of a screw bolt 7, so as to hold the end of the mediate ortion 3 in adjustable relationship to the casing 8 is adapted side of the bracket 1 by the lnturned med ate ortion 3 thereof, and the casin 81s. provided with an aperture 9 throug the side and adjacent an end thereof. The ma terial cut from the casing 8 to form the aperture 9 is bent downwardly at 10 to form a deflecting in detail. at 11 to prevent the casing 8 from being ward the-rear of the vehicle on Wlllch the bracket is attached. The opposite end of the .casin 8 is open. A lamp socket 12 1s secure in the open end of the caslng 8, and said lamp socket .12 is connected by an electric current carrying wire 13 to a source of any light generated within electrical supply (not shown). An electric I lamp bulb 14 is mounted withln the casing 8, and secured to the socket 12, the bulb 14 being ositioned in the'casmg 8 m reglst with t e aperture 9 therein. When the bul 14 is illuminated, the light from the bulb is directed downwardly and outwardly racket 1. A tubular to be clamped to the inshield to be hereinafter described The end of the casing 8 is closed.

thrown outward to-' cording to the position in which the casing 8 is arranged relative to the supporting bracket 1. The deflecting plate 10 serves to control the downward path of the beam of light generated by the bulb 14, and to permit the beam of light being thrown relatively toward or from the side of the vehicle. The .path of the beam of light is regulated by unloosening the screw 7 on the bracket 1 to permit the casing 8 to be partially rotated in its clamped support and the deflecter plate 10 placed in the selected position after which the clamping bolt 7 is tightened and the casing 8 held in the desired location. The deflector plate 10 causes the beam of light to be directed downward- 1y along the side of the machine and prevents the beam of light from passing into the drivers compartment, The beam of light is suflicient to illuminate the side of the machine as a warning to approaching vehicles, and also illuminates the road surface adjacent the side of the machine to assist the driver in stepping into or out of the vehicle, -and it also provides an area of light into which the arm of the vehicle operator may be extended so that at night time an adequate warning or indication of a change of course of the driven vehicle will. be given to the driver of following vehicles.

The type of device shown' in the first six figures of the drawing is adaptable particularly to closed cars. In applying the apparatus to an open car or one having a demountable top, I provide a piece of material bent back upon itself so that the opposite ends 20 thereof may be clamped around a bar 21 in the vehicle top. The lamp casing 22 would be clamped in the bent portion of the bracket and held in the desired position by means of a clamping screw 23. The

deflecting surface; and an lamp casing 22 would be provided with a lamp socket 24, lamp 25 and deflector plate 26 therein, to function in the identically same manner as the casing described in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. A lighting fixture comprised of a plate having a mediate portion of the plate bent to form a loop between the ends of said plate; means to hold the looped portion of the plate in yieldable engagement wth the plate; a casing, movably secured in the looped portion of the plate, ture cut therein and the material forming the aperture bent outward to form a light electric lamp bulb opposite the aperthe beam of light the light deflecting mounted in the casing, ture, adapted to have therefrom deflected by surface.

2. A lighting fixture comprised of a plate havmg a mediate portion of the plate bent to form a loop between the ends of said plate; means-to hold the looped portion of the plate in yieldable engagement with the plate; a casing, movably secured in the ooped portion of the plate, having an aperture cut therein and the material forming the aperture bent outward to form a light deflecting surface; and an electric lamp bulb mounted in the casing opposite the aperture, adapted to have the beam of light therefrom deflected by the light deflecting surface, said plate having the opposite edges thereof curved to ward oif encountered objects.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 23rd day of Jul 1926.

.IOSEPH E. PEARSON.

having an aper- 

